The Penn's Grove record., 1887-01-29
A WOMAN'S BLUNDER.

"Mufins and crumpets made to or
der" Thus ran the written notice,
penned, too. in characters nearly ap'
preaching half-text, stuck up in one Of
the few principal shops facing the
main street.
The unimportant village OF lem
merton" lay somewhat far away from
any town, and therefore did a fan
amount OF steady.golng business on its
own account. Foremost of all ranked
the repository or store of Janet Lisle,
in which she sold stationery. news
papers, the magazines of the day il
duly ordered in time, besides a variety
of useful odds and ends. She was also
the village postmistress, and carried
out the duties Of her office with a
marked regard to promptitude. In
each of these pursuits, however, she
was aided by her pretty and also win
some niece, Elsie Falconbridge.
In all reality, Elsie was more mis-.
tress Of the postal department than
Janet Lisle herself. 1t vas she who
ordinarily undertook the dispatch OF
that twice.a-day ~letter-bag, bestowlng
upon each misslve previously the due
official stamp-mark. "Janet Isles
right hand. in fact,n as every n said.
She, too, 1t was who made the mullins
and crumpets-muflns and crumpets
which were 50 popular in the village
that no one ever dreamed of having a
tea party without also having ssmufflns
and crumpets" to match.
"Oblige me with a tw0-cent stamp,
Miss Falconbrldge. won't your" and a
somewhat elderly man at that moment
stared her full in the face--this neces-
sarily, however - through the gap
made in the wire network marking off
the spot allotted to the post-oi1ice de-
partment.
She handed him what he required.
Sand a registered envelope, also.''
he said.
Again she had fulfilled his request.
"Thank you" and without much ado
he deposited a twenty.dollar note with
in the same.
"AIl right" he soliloquized, as old
gentlemen are 30 fond of doing. "Come,
that's done, at any rate" he added, In
self.congratulatory fashion.
Then came aloud, questioningly:
sin the letter-boxp-or shall I leave
it with your"
"You can leave it here, SIR" an
swered Elsie, quietly,
Others were nov coming in fast, de-
handing this and that, and in adopt
ing a calm exterior lay her only chance
of attending rightly to each petitioner.
Janet Lisle also was unusually busy
that afternoon. Miss Veal, the richest
old lady in the parish, gave a large tea
party that very evening, and mullins
and crumpets were accordingly being
sent OFF in startlingly large quantities.
SIS there any letter waiting for me
to-day, pleasep" asked a somewhat
tlmid voice a few minutes later on.
"No, Miss Josephine, nothing"
81 am sorry. Disappointing It
notpn
The two speakers seemed fully 10
comprehend each other. There existed,
apparently, a sort of pleasant sympathy
between them. Both were pretty. Both
looked good, and also thoroughly IL
earnest, Only, that the assistant post
mistress, appeared full of brightness
and life, and the girl now facing her
wore the aspect or being tired of life
already.
"Yes, very. l am sorry, too"
"Thank you. You are always kind.
| will look In again tomorrow, if nay
dong so will not trouble you too
much"
mot at all, Miss Josephine"
The last-named was already moving
away to make room for some one else
Elsie Falconbridge had, however, not
yet completed her business with the
late lawyers daughter.
"Auntie,n she whispered, "take my
place here for a moment"
Janet Lisle nodded in ascent.
"Do come In he.e an instant with
me, won't your" and Elsie signed that
Miss Josephine should accompany her
into the coy back parlor, where all
was now in readiness for tea. "The
fact is, Miss Josephine. I've done the
most stupid thing imaginable to-day
made a mistake, and prepared nearly
twice the number Of crumpets that will
be wanted by anybody. Isn't it alb
surd of me2 You don't mind-no, Pm
sure you won't, Miss Josephine-help
me out of my trouble.
"But how2' came, hesitatingly, in
response. Then came-ahl so bravely,
for it is ever difficult to tell the PLAIN
truth in such matters-'I can't. It's
quite impossible. We have no money.
Don't you underestimate
"Absurdi" was the interruption.
"Why, it's a favor Pm asking of you:
don't you see2 / knew you would be
in to-day, for certain, and would be-
friend me. It's only that l want you,
II you don't mind the trouble, to carry
home a dozen OF so to your sweet
mother. Many's the dozen she has Or
dered from US in the past, when. per-
haps, we haven't been able to supply
her. One can not forget that fact, you
know, in a hurry. So there they are,
Miss Josephine. all hot and ~ready-but-
tered, for / don't think you know how
to do it yourself, You had better go
out this way. by the side door, and then
no one will be the wiser for the favor
you've done me.n
For one brief instant her worn, pale.
faced companion had bent down i'm.
pulsively and laid her own soft cheek
against Elsie's, and the next, wholly
unable to speak, she had disappeared.
"A rather heavier mai. bag to-nlgh.
than usual. wasn't Il. Elsiegn